Years ago, if you hadn't received braces by the time you finished high school odds are you would never pursue orthodontic treatment. Most adults wouldn't have even dreamed of wearing braces! Thankfully, today, clear aligners have quickly become a popular alternative for adults who have mild to moderate crowding or spacing of teeth.

Unlike traditional orthodontic “braces” in which small (metal) brackets are attached to the teeth, clear aligners use a sequence of individual, clear, removable “trays” to straighten teeth. These trays completely cover each tooth and gradually move the teeth into new improved positions. Clear aligners can be used to realign mildly crowded or tipped teeth, to close small spaces between teeth and even treat elongated teeth.

Your clear aligners will be computer-generated based on current dental records. If you would like to find out if you are a candidate for orthodontic treatment using clear aligners, we will need a full set of records to properly assess your case starting with a thorough examination, taking radiographs (x-rays) of your teeth, jaws and skull, as well as photos and impressions of your teeth that can be used to create models. If you have a good bite, which means that your back teeth fit together properly, clear aligners should be a viable treatment option for you. However, if your upper and lower jaws don't align properly, resulting in a severe overbite or underbite, you will more likely need traditional orthodontic braces to straighten your teeth and improve your bite.

Each patient presents unique dental challenges. Cases vary, but you can expect to have to wear the aligners all day except when eating, for an average of anywhere from six months to two years. But don't worry about what others might think — clear aligners are barely noticeable at all.

If you are insecure about your misaligned crooked teeth, then you may be a perfect candidate for clear orthodontic aligners. This system is an alternative to traditional braces that uses a sequence of individual, clear, removable “trays” that fit over your teeth to gradually straighten them. Each tray is completely clear and covers all the teeth thus making it virtually invisible. Each tray is designed to slightly move the teeth until the teeth are in proper alignment. Typically, each tray must be worn for 20 hours a day for 2 weeks before progressing to the next tray in the sequence with each tray moving you closer towards your goal — perfectly aligned teeth.

Clear orthodontic aligners work if...

They may not be the right choice if...

You have moderate to severe crowding or spacing issues between teeth

When your bite does not align properly (for example, if you have a large over-, under-, or cross-bite)

When your teeth are “rotated” way out of position; such misaligned teeth will require special or complex techniques to rotate them back into position, or to pull them down into place or to fill the space left after pulling a tooth to resolve excessive crowding of teeth

Want to learn more?

Contact us today to discuss your questions or to schedule an appointment. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the article “Clear Orthodontic Aligners.”